Volunteer
Our Volunteers are Special!
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Arden at the Center to schedule an appointment. You will be asked to fill out an application and provide personal, work and/or school references. New volunteers will start their volunteer position with a three month trial period. Regular volunteer positions may require a Criminal Background Check.
Arden Williams
267.880.5020
awilliams@buckscounty.org
Volunteer Opportunities/Events Coming Soon…
(Please contact Arden Williams to pre-register)
Volunteer Work Days-from 9 am to 2 pm (rain or shine)
Saturdays: Feb. 4th, March 4th, April 22nd
Volunteer Recognition and Annual Meeting
Saturday, March 18 from 10 am to 12 pm
Join us for this special event as we recognize the hard working efforts of an ever-growing family of volunteers, without whom we could never do the extraordinary things we do! THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!
OPEN VOLUNTEER POSITIONS
Greeter(s)
We are seeking a retired, mature, and welcoming person to be the first face of the Center; greeting visitors, answering phones, and running the cash register. Available morning shifts: Afternoon shifts: (2 pm- 5 pm) Saturdays or (12 pm – 4 pm) Sundays
Trail and Ground Maintenance Crew
We are looking for volunteers who are willing to regularly maintain the ponds and flower gardens on the preserve. You would be able to set your own schedule and work at your own pace. There is no replacement for the joy and sense of accomplishment you can experience from tending a garden or maintaining a pond habitat.
Naturalist Aides
We are looking for people who want to help us teach environmental education programs. Call the Center to inquire about the next free training session.
Volunteers of the Quarter:
Carolyn Hankerson
Carolyn is a retired Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center employee. Since her retirement in 2014 she has been tending her garden, more active in her church, and regularly comes back to the Center to volunteer. Her experience as the Nature Center’s Office Manager makes her a valuable asset to the group that gets our publication in the hands of our members and partners.
However, what really makes her exceptional is that she makes it a point to contact some of our older volunteers who no longer drive, so they can still come to the Center to help out and socialize. Thank you Carolyn for being a model former employee, citizen and friend to the Silver Lake Nature Center.
Volunteer Accomplishments:
This quarter our Interns took the lead on many projects around the grounds. This set of summer interns, Rachel Bryan and Ryan Neuman, were the first to be paid by the Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center through the initiative started by the Center’s former Director Bob Mercer who retired in November of 2015. Rachel and Ryan were instrumental in assisting with programs, leading groups of volunteers on Volunteer Work Days, and assisting the staff with the upkeep of the building and grounds. With the help of our paid interns our volunteer work days are much more focused and productive. They worked hard throughout the week to maintain specific areas of the grounds so that work days can be geared toward projects that required all hands on deck. Volunteers have been able to weed, mulch, and restack the border of the pond areas, remove and replace old trail liners, and remove fencing poles from the community garden.
2016 Waterway Cleanup Work Day Event Statistics
DOW sponsored our 2016 Waterway Cleanup. In anticipation of this event we rented a 6 yard front load dumpster (holds 42 -30 gal. bags) and a 2 yard recycle dumpster (holds 16 -30 gal. bags) from Leck. With the help of 28 volunteers, which included 5 DOW volunteers, 7 Delaware River Fisherman’s Association volunteers, and 2 G.O.A.L volunteers, the trash dumpster was ¾ of the way full and the recycle dumpster was filled to the top with recyclable materials. Thank you to all of the volunteers who brought their own kayak or canoe and cleaned the shorelines of Magnolia and Silver Lakes. Also, a huge thank you to the volunteers who cleanuped the shorelines around Cassalia Pond, which is located in Delhaas Woods.
Animal Update
Our aquatic turtles enjoyed several days at the turtle spa courtesy of our intern Tricia, while we renovated their habitat enclosures (anyone who has lived through a renovation knows how valuable a day out of the house spent at the spa can be!) While the turtles were brushed clean and turtle wax massages took place, we upgraded the substrate with smooth river rock and replaced the filters. When our turtles returned, they were excited to explore their new living space, eat some fruit salad and worms, and then they basked in the sun from the specialized UV lamps on top of their logs and happily (or as happy as turtles settled in for the long winter. If you are interested in helping us continue to enhance our animal exhibits, please donate!
So please do join up with us and see what amazing things you can do while you’re here!
If you would like to volunteer,
Please contact Arden at the Center.
267.880.5020
awilliams@buckscounty.org
PA Master Naturalist program offered at SLNC in the Fall of 2016
We currently have several paid position openings.
There are several unpaid internships and volunteer opportunities available.
Free Interpretive Backpack Tours!
Ever wanted to have a guided nature walk but there is no naturalist available? Scout Julia Singer has created nature-themed self-guided tours in a backpack that you can “rent” for free at the Center. Just ask for the Kids Scavenger Hunt, Trees and Birds, or General Tour backpack, then head out on the trails to discover the natural world!
Arden Williams: Coordinator of Volunteers and Administrative Assistant
If you would like to volunteer,
Please contact Arden at the Center.
267-880-5020
awilliams@buckscounty.org